Right now, there’s a guy on a stool in a gun shop arguing over what the “best home defense gun” is. Whether he’s right or wrong isn’t relevant—the best gun for home defense is the gun you have when you need it. For many families, that gun is the same one that puts food on the table and trophies on the wall.

For 95 years Mossberg has supplied hardworking Americans with hardworking and affordable firearms, but only recently has the company become a serious player in the centerfire rifle market. This year at SHOT Show Mossberg will introduce what might be considered the pinnacle of its sporting rifle efforts, the Patriot.

Savage offers a wide selection of “package” rifles that come out of the box with a riflescope already mounted and bore-sighted. Essentially, all you have to do is finalize the zero with your load and go hunting. That’s appealing for sure, but so is the price. One of the latest package rifles from Savage is the Axis II XP, and it’s a good example of both the convenience and the value such a deal offers hunters.

Late-season hunting usually means extreme weather, and that can be rough on your rifle. Weather attacks generally come in two forms: temperature and moisture. Address these issues and you have most potential problems under control.

The hip and happening trend with bolt-action hunting rifles right now is to go cheap, but still go big on performance. It seems like every manufacturer has a low-end price-point rifle, and they all seem to shoot pretty well. Browning’s hat in this ring is the new AB3 Composite Stalker.

While building a lightweight, accurate production rifle sounds like a no-brainer, it’s often easier said than done. That’s why Digital Managing Editor Justin McDaniel was intrigued when Weatherby announced its new Mark V Ultra Lightweight RC.

This year, Ruger paired their classically styled No. 1-S Medium Sporter with a truly classic cartridge: the 9.3x62mm. How did it stack up when taken afield? Find out in this complete review from Keith Wood.

Gamo’s Whisper Fusion Pro air rifle possesses a rather futuristic appearance—especially if your idea of an air rifle is a Red Ryder BB gun. But times change, and the recreational airguns of the 1960s and ’70s have evolved into serious shooting machines, some even suitable for small-game hunting. The Whisper Fusion Pro exemplifies that development.

Give an American a handy, accurate, magazine-fed bolt gun in a caliber like .308 Win. and he can do many things, including win battles, defend castles, take deer and wild pigs, and have a blast dinging targets nearly as far as he can see. Keep it under $700, too? Mossberg is onto something.

German factory rifles normally come with precisely made actions, match-grade barrels, well-bedded stocks and excellent triggers. That’s because Germans expect hunting rifles to work extremely well directly from the factory. The new Mauser Model 12 made a favorable impression right from the start.